Improvement in brake-pipe couplings



G. WESTINGHOUSE, Jr. Brake-Pipe Coupling.

No. 214,335. Patented April 15,1879.

l\\\\ I y m x 1 w UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE WESTINGHOUSE, JR, OF PITTSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA.

IMPROVEMENT IN BRAKE-PIPE COUPLINGS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 214,335, dated April15, 1879; application filed February 28, 1879.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, GEORGE WESTING- HOUSE, Jr., of Pittsburg, county of Allegheny, State of Pennsylvania, haveinvented or discovered a new and useful Improvement in one half of myimproved coupling. Fig. 2 is a plan view thereof. Fig. 3 is an end viewof the same, and Fig. 4 is a detached view of the inner rotating half ofthe valve proper.

The use of flexible hose, carrying couplings at their outer ends, forthe purpose of connectin g together the operating pi pes of powerbrakeapparatus, is well known.

My present improvement relates to the construction, for such use, ofvalved couplings of that class wherein it is desired that, when thehalfcouplings are separated or uncoupled, their ported ends should beautomatically closed, and wherein the act of coupling shall necessitatethe opening of the valves. The half-couplin gs are also duplicates ofeach other, so that any two may be coupled together.

The present coupling is designed to be used chiefly as a part of avacuum-brake apparatus, though it may also be used in that class ofbrake apparatus wherein fluid-pressure is transmitted directly from apump or main reservoir to the several brake-cylinders on the cars.

A portion of one of the flexible hose is represented at A, and to it issecured in any convenient way the nozzle R of the halfcoupling R, andthis nozzle is inclined to the axis of the coupling, so that when thetwo half-couplings are connected the flexible pipes hang in an easycurve, without being strained by abrupt bends over the edges of thenozzles. Each half-coupling is provided with a pair oflaterally-projecting ears, B, one of them having secured thereto byriveting or otherwise a taper-pointed pin, 0, having a side notch,

c, and the other one having a hole, b, bored through it of proper size,and in proper position for the insertion of alike pin, 0, attached toone of the ears of the opposite half-coupling. As this pin 0 is in everycase fixed to the same ear-say, the left-hand ear-iu all half-couplings,While the hole I) is in every case made in the opposite ear, thehalf-coupling at the end of every car, whichever end of the car may bepresented to the next car, is adapted to couple with the half-couplingon the adjacent end of such next car, the pin 0 of one half-couplingbeing thrust through the hole b of the other. When the twohalf-couplings are pressed together or coupled a spring, D, on eachcatches into the notch c of the pin of the other, and thus the two areheld together as against all ordinary strains; but the notches c and theends of the springs D, one or both, being rounded or beveled,automatically disengage under unusual strain, and so allow the twohalves. to become uncoupled without injury to either. Each half-couplingis provided with an elastic packing-ring, E, of india-rubber or othersuitable material, which is held in place by a tight-fitting band, 6,pressed inside of its tubular part, or in any other suitable way. Thisring, or the lip part of it, projects sufficiently far beyond the end ofthe shell of the coupling, so that when two come together face to faceor end to end in coupling they will make a tight packing and preventmaterial loss from leakage.

In order now that the ports of such halfcouplings may be closed whenthey are uncoupled, and open when coupled, I provide in eachhalf-coupling a valve, which consists of a gratin g, F, preferably ofhemispherical shape, (though other form of grating may be employedcapable of rotating on its axis,) on the face of acorrespondingly-shaped fixed grating, G, securely fitted within thecoupling-shell. The rotating half F of the valve has a stem, a, whichprojects through an eye made in G. A spring, 9, secured at one end tothe stem 0. and at its other end to the fixed grating G, is so connectedthat its elastic force, acting on the stem to, causes the part F to turntill a shoulder, 8, made therein comes against a fixed stop-pin,f, inwhich position the bars of the valve 1 cover the apertures between thebars of G. By this means the mouth of the coup ling or its ports orthrough passage-ways are closed.

In order thatsueh ports may be opened when the two halt couplings areunited, I attach to the revolving grating I" two studs, II, preferablymade with their ends beveled or inclined, as at Ii, so that when theends of the pins (J enter the holes I) in the coupling operation theinclined faces of the studs [1 of one half-coupling, acting on theinclined faces of those of the other, shall cause the gratings F of bothhalf-couplings to turn on their axes in opposition to the force exertedby the springs g until the bars of F coincide, or nearly so, with thoseof G, thus leaving the apertures between the bars open, and giving openports or through passage-ways from one length of pipe to the other; butin order to insure no more than the necessary length of rotary motion ineach grating I provide a stopshoulder, s, which shall bear against thestop-pinf as soon as the bars of the grating come into line with eachother or coincide. The gratings or valves in each half-coupling willthen be fully opened; but on the disconnectingof the couplings, eitherintentionally or by accident, the springsg will cause the gratings F toturn back and close the ports or apertures in G.

This construction of coupling and self-closing valve is obviouslyapplicable, whetherthe air in the communicating pipe be compressed orrarefied, or whether any tlnid other than air, such as water or steam,be employed, for communicating pressure throughout the tiain for workingthe brakes.

I do not limit myself to the particular form or construction of valvedescribed, but include herein, as the substantial equivalents thereof,all known forms of valves in which the port or passage-way is opened andclosed by a rotary motion of one ported part on another ported part,which latter either remains stationary or rotates in the oppositedirection, and in which the axial line of the rotation of the rotarydevice extends in the same general direction as the axial line of theair ports or passages in or in combination with which it is arranged.

I believe that I am the first to introduce a valve of that class intopipe-couplings in such manner that such valve shall be automaticallyopened and closed in the act of coupling and uncoupling; nor is itessential that projecting studs or lugs on one valve shall engage thoseof the other, since the movable part of each valve may be rotated bymeans of an engagement with some non-rotating part of the oppositehalf-coupling through the medium ofonc or moreinterposed projectingstudsor lugshaving or acting on an inclined surface or surfaces.

And valves of this class may be combined with couplings having otherfastening devices than those described, provided only that. suchfasteniugs shall, when the couplings are properly united, prevent thecoupling-shells from rotating with reference to each other, and therebyprevent the valves from rotating back to a closed position; and Iinclude herein the use of such valves in lap or splice joint couplings,as well as in butt couplings; but separate application will he madecovering the use of valves of this class in connection with couplings ofthe kind referred to in reissued Letters Patent No. 8,291, granted to meJune 18, 1878.

I do not claim herein the angular arrangement of the nozzles It, as I aminformed that such feature has been previously invented by another.

I am aware that it is not new to arrange two-way cocks in male andfemale couplingshells with the axis of rotation of the cocks at rightangles to the main through passageway of the couplings, said cocks andcoupling-shells being provided with gear-teeth, whereby it is proposedto open the cooks in the uniting of the couplings, and to close them byseparating the couplings, and to such construction, broadly, I make noclaim.

I claim herein as my invention 1. In combination with a half-coupling, arotary valve having its axis of rotation extending in the same generaldirection as the axial line of the air ports or passages which it isdesigned to open or close, in manner substantially as described, wherebyin the act of uniting the half-coupling with its counterpart the rotaryvalve shall necessarily be brought to an open position, and in theseparation of the half-couplings it shall be automatically brought to aclosed position.

2. In a two-part pipe-coupling, the two halves of which are of likeconstruction, a rotary valve arranged in each half, with their axiallines of rotation extending in the same general direction as the portsor passages which they are designed to open and close, in combinationwith suitable lugs or project-ions, whereby each half-coupling on thevalve inclosed therein shall act in the operation of coupling to rotatethe opposite valve, substantially in the manner set forth.

3. In a two-part pipe-coupling, the two halves of which are of likeconstruction, and are automatically detachable under unusual strain, thecombination of valves arranged to open each other by a rotary motion ontheir axes in the act of uniting the couplings, and springs arranged torotate the valves back to a closed position when the valves areuncoupled, substantially as set forth.

4. In a rotary coupling-valve, the rotary ported part F, of any desiredconstruction, having one or more studs, H, and suitable stops to limitthe extent of its rotary motion, in combination with a fixed portedpart, G, and spring g, substantially as set forth.

5. The pins G and holes 12, operating as guides in bringing thecouplings together, in combination with bevel-ended studs H, attached tothe rotary parts of the valves, substantially as set forth.

6. The rigid recessed pins 0, in combination with perforatediears B andsprings D, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

GEORGE WESTINGHOUSE, JR.

Witnesses:

CHAS. BERKLEY HARRIS,

17 Gracechurch Street, London, E. 0. Jim. DEAN,

17 Gracechurch Street, London, E. G.

